


too soon to lose my baby, yet

by barelyprolific



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Canon Compliant, Coda, Episode Related, Episode: s15e25 Jump Into the Fog, M/M, Mama Schmitt exceeded expectations and we stan, Morning After
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2020-03-06 21:55:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18859873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barelyprolific/pseuds/barelyprolific
Summary: “I’m assuming you made enough for three people?” Levi's mother gives him a look he can’t quite read over her shoulder. “I didn’t hear anyone leave last night.” Or, Levi and his mother have (some of) that talk.





	too soon to lose my baby, yet

**Author's Note:**

> How relieved are we after that season finale? How stressed are we about next season? Anyway, I was inspired by Levi's mom! I'm so glad we got to meet her and see him come out on screen. It was...very powerful, and meant a lot to me.

Waking up with someone in bed with him isn’t a new experience for Levi anymore, but waking up in his basement bedroom with someone in bed with him is. For a few minutes, Levi lies there, staring at the ceiling, careful not to move and disturb the arm draped across his stomach. Next to him, Nico’s face down, his back rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm, his hair sticking up. His shirt has ridden up a little; Levi tugs it down, covers him with the blanket as he slips out from under his arm, of bed.

The kitchen is quiet and gray in the early morning light until Levi switches the light on, stumbling towards the coffee machine with one hand shoved up under his glasses to rub sleep from his eye. Once it’s gurgling, he starts looking for his favorite cup.

“Good morning.”

His mother’s voice nearly makes Levi drop the mug he’s just pulled down from the cupboard. Catching it, he lets out a deep breath, turns to give her a weak smile.

“Morning, Mom.”

She shoos him away from the counter so that she can get a cup for herself, and Levi goes, moving to sit down at the kitchen table.

“I’m assuming you made enough for three people?” His mother gives him a look he can’t quite read over her shoulder. “I didn’t hear anyone leave last night.”

Levi looks down at his hands, the tips of his fingers digging into the wood. Smooths them out, drums them once.

“I didn’t want to make him go home.”

“Did he like the soup?”

Levi smiles a little, peeking up at her. Her back is still to him as she opens the refrigerator and starts pulling things out.

“Yeah, he did.”

His mother hums, nodding, and for a few minutes, the only sounds are her shuffling around, Levi’s fingers drumming against the table. When the coffee is done, he gets up to fix himself a cup. Nico will probably wake up as soon as the smell reaches him, so he gets down an extra mug while he’s over there.

“I knew there was someone,” is what breaks the silence, his mother watching him with eyes that crinkle the same way his do. They’re serious now. Levi swallows. Here it comes. This is what he wanted to avoid--the questions, the talk about all the ways it could go wrong. Levi’s already had a taste of things turning sour with Nico, and he doesn’t want to talk about it happening again. Not yet. His mother continues, Levi listening dutifully as he fixes his coffee.

“Contacts. Your hair. You’re hardly home anymore, and when you are, it seems like you’re always just grabbing something and heading out again. I was surprised you were home last night,” she admits, and Levi feels the sting of guilt. Has he been a neglectful son?

“I’m sorry, I…” He stops when his mother holds up a hand.

“Please, Levi. You’re twenty-six. I wasn’t expecting you to live in my basement forever. I hoped, but…” She chuckles, awkward. Levi laughs along, although inwardly, he’s cringing. He used to think that. That he would live in that basement forever, alone and unloved. It’s embarrassing to know his own mother realized it was a possibility too.

“He’s handsome,” his mother speaks again, after she’s sipped at her coffee, blown on it to cool it, then sipped on it again. Levi traces the handle of his mug with his thumb, over and over.

“Handsome is an understatement,” he grins, real now, feeling his heart flutter as he thinks of Nico’s smile. “He’s gorgeous. It’s--unfair, really.”

His mother grins back, her laughter a little more sincere. She’s serious again when it fades.

“He’s good to you?”

Levi hesitates. The answer is yes. Of course it’s yes. As hard as this past week has been, as much as Nico hasn’t been great recently, overall, the answer is yes. He’s just not sure how to explain that to his overly worrisome mother.

“He’s good to me,” he agrees, “Good for me.” That much is true. Whatever has happened in the last week, Nico has been so good for him. Nico has made him feel brave, confident, talented, smart...sexy. Not that he’s going to tell his mother about that last part.

“You were home all this week.” She sips at her coffee again. Levi makes a face down at his.

“He had a rough week. _We_...had a rough week.”

Without looking up, Levi senses his mother moving around. Hears the chair across from him pull back, creak slightly as she settles on it.

“How long have you two been seeing each other?”

It’s not the question Levi was expecting. He glances up, sharp, raises his eyebrows at her. “Since…” He thinks back, counts the months. “November.” Levi sinks into his seat a little, processing that. Wow.

“Have you two fought before?”

“It wasn’t a fight, it was…” Levi trails off. Shakes his head. Maybe it was a fight. It felt like… It felt like estrangement. “I guess it was a fight. Not our first… But our first big one? Maybe?”

Their first was over her, but Levi doesn’t want to tell his mother that their first real fight was about Levi coming out.

“That one’s always the hardest, if you do it right.”

The words surprise him. Levi’s head jerks back towards her, eyes wide. His mother smiles slightly.

“Is it serious?”

Another one Levi’s not sure how to answer. Before the last week, Levi would have said yes, but they still haven’t talked about San Francisco. Levi doesn’t know if Nico got the job, or what’s happening when his fellowship is up.

“I love him,” is the only answer Levi can really give. “Like...want him in my life forever, love him.”

His mother doesn’t reply for so long that Levi worries he said the wrong thing. He takes a deep breath when she finally opens her mouth, preparing himself for whatever she’s going to say.

“Well, I was thinking about omelettes for breakfast. Does he like omelettes?”

“I do.”

Both Schmitts look towards the kitchen doorway, where Nico is standing there in last night’s shirt and sweats stretched too tight around his hips, several inches of his ankles exposed. Levi’s on his feet immediately.

“Hey, good morning. There’s coffee.”

Nico gives him a small smile, which he redirects to his mother after a second.

“I hope you slept well?” she asks, and he nods.

“Yes, ma’am, thank you.”

“Oh, ma’am is too formal,” she says, waving her hands as she stands as well, moving around the table so that she can put her hand on Nico’s back and usher him to the coffee machine. “Call me Mom, if you want. Or Myrna.”

The words stun Levi. They seem to stun Nico, too, because he holds very, very still as she turns away. Myrna goes to the fridge again. She opens the door, tsks, shuts it.

“Wouldn’t you know it? I don’t have enough eggs. I’m going to have to run to the grocery store. You boys won’t starve while I’m gone?”

It’s so obvious, what she’s doing. Levi’s still grateful for it. Watching Nico’s shoulders relax slightly, he knows his boyfriend is too.

Once she’s left and they’re both sitting at the table again, Levi reaches out, curls a hand around Nico’s wrist.

“Did you sleep okay?”

“I slept,” Nico says, after a moment. “Which...is the first time that’s happened this week.” He pulls his wrist away so that he can flip his hand over, tangle their fingers together. His thumb brushing over the back of Levi’s hand sends a shiver down Levi’s spine. “I pushed you away when I should have been pulling you closer. You were what I needed, this whole week.”

Levi’s throat feels too tight. He swallows it down. Bites his lip. He doesn’t want to look too pleased, but it’s hard not to feel that way.

“Well, now you know.”

“Now I know,” Nico agrees. He squeezes Levi’s hand. “I want you in my life forever too, Levi.”

“You heard that?” Levi winces, looking down at his coffee. Nico’s palm on his cheek raises his gaze again.

“I want you in my life forever too,” he repeats, searching Levi’s gaze. “I’m not pushing you away again.”

“What about San Francisco?”

“I’m not _going_ anywhere either.”

Levi releases a slow breath. Nods as he leans in, kissing Nico for the first time in too long.

Everything else, he decides, can wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are like inspiration granola bars for authors!


End file.
